Mexico becomes threat to Southeast auto industry

Mexico is becoming competition for automotive jobs. Local leaders hope more products will be manufactured at the local VW plant. (Photo: Staff)

USA Today reported Thursday that Mexico is the Southeast's main competitor for automotive jobs and that industry experts think the region's leaders should work together to face this challenge.

Locally, Chattanooga leaders are hoping additional products will be built at the Volkswagen plant.

Chattanooga is already part of Volkswagen's strategy to become the country's largest auto manufacturer by 2018.

And some industry insiders have said that the factory needs to produce something else to get the most out of that location, but Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce leaders said it isn't an inevitability that another vehicle, such as an SUV, will be made here.

Volkswagen leaders recently announced that the company will start producing the Golf at its factory in Puebla, beginning in the first quarter of 2014.